Lewis Hamilton responds to ‘yapping’

Lewis Hamilton silenced his critics in emphatic fashion with a commanding sprint race win at the Chinese Grand Prix. In only his second weekend driving for Ferrari, the seven-time world champion led from the front to claim his first victory of any kind with the Italian team, holding off Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in the process.



The win marked a significant turnaround from Hamilton’s difficult Ferrari debut in Australia and prompted a fiery message to those who doubted his ability to adapt.



A Statement Performance After a Tough Start



Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 season created major headlines, but his debut in Australia left fans and pundits questioning the decision. A lackluster 10th place finish, after qualifying eighth, seemed to echo the struggles he faced in parts of his final season with Mercedes. The British driver also found himself outpaced by new teammate Charles Leclerc and trapped behind slower cars.



But China told a different story. From the opening lap of the weekend, Hamilton appeared far more comfortable. He secured pole for the sprint race and made no mistakes en route to victory — a much-needed confidence boost for both driver and team.



Hamilton Addresses the Doubters



Post-race, Hamilton made his feelings known regarding the criticism he faced after Melbourne.



“I woke up feeling great today,” he told reporters. “The first race was difficult. I really do feel a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to get into a new team, become acclimatised within the team, understanding and communication – all sorts of things.



“The amount of critics and people I heard, yapping along the way, clearly not understanding maybe because they never had the experience or were unaware.”



Hamilton credited the team for helping him feel more connected to the car over the course of the Chinese weekend.



“It felt great to come here and be more comfortable in the car because in Melbourne I didn’t feel great in the car. From lap one this weekend we have been on it. The engineers and mechanics have done a great job to fine tune the car and it felt great. It’s hard to look after the tyres but everyone was struggling.”



Renewed Optimism at Ferrari



Hamilton’s performance in Shanghai has reinvigorated hopes that Ferrari’s marquee signing can deliver on his potential. While the team struggled to match Red Bull and Mercedes in Melbourne, they looked far more competitive this time around, suggesting that early issues may have been more about adjustment than outright pace.



With Hamilton back to winning ways — albeit in a sprint race — and appearing more settled, Ferrari fans have reason to believe he could become a consistent challenger once again. The victory may not have come in the main Grand Prix event, but it was enough to serve notice: Lewis Hamilton is far from finished.
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